I'm hoping one of you guys can guide me to a good quality home gym leg extension/curl machine. I've always been more muscular up top than in the legs. I'm out of balance and need to get to work on it. I'd appreciate a lead on really solid equipment.

Squats are the best leg building exercises. So squat rack first. I don't know brands of machines for leg extensions and curls but when you get one try doing one leg at a time vs both legs at once. It takes longer but back when I was lifting hard I got to the point I was using the entire weight stack and still hitting 35 reps on 5 sets. So I started doing one leg at a time. Found out one leg was much strong than the other. I could do 3 to 5 more reps with one than the other with the same weight. I never would have known that if I always hit them at the same time.

Leg ext and curls are for rehab of an injury, not the greatest for functional strength. Get a 50 lb kettlebell and start doing swings and goblet squats.
I injured my knee a couple months ago, where the quad attaches to the inside of my kneecap area. Ive been going to PT and this therapist has opened my eyes to what can be done with a wall, a step, and a theraband. She started me with ext and curls, and we have moved past that.

Interested to hear more about PT exercises using the wall and stair. I’m working on similar issue with my PT but she has me mostly doing curls/extensions and four way with a band.

I'd concentrate on squats (front and back) and deadlifts before i spent money on any leg machines. Add accy exercises like lunges, stiff legged deadlifts amd you'll be on the way to tree trunk legs. Get a decent squat rack, a bar and a set of weights. Prices on used equipment have really dropped since the pandemic. Keep your eyes open and there are some great deals out there.

Better off buying kettle bells than a machine. There’s a guy on IG that does nothing but kettle bell workouts. Anything you can do with weights you can do with the bells and at home to boot.

Here's my basement setup. Right around $750 in equipment. Rack is REP brand. The portable bench was used. Bars and weights are usedalso. I can load well over 450 on a bar, more than i can lift. Horse stall mats on the floor for deadlifting.

Nice setup!!

Single leg squats on the stairs, slow going down. Raise the opposing leg out front like the start of a pistol squat as you get stronger/healed so you can go lower.

Wall squats with a wide base and shift your weight to one leg and stand up, putting more weight on a single leg as you get stronger.

With the theraband, she has me stepping into a closed band around my knees and doing what she calls monster walk. Squat to about 90 degrees and walk sideways, then reverse. A couple trips back and forth in my basement and everything is on fire.

Also has me sitting in a chair, stand up with one leg and slowly return.

Ultimate goal is to perform a pistol squat with each leg to full depth.

I'll be 65 in November. Old age snuck up on me. I stepped on the scales and looked in the mirror and couldn't believe how much I'd withered away. From what I've read read it's a common age-related thing. I wasn't ready to give up just yet.

I went out and bought a home gym that's geared more toward upper body workouts. I've been amazed at how quickly I've snapped back into shape and in just a matter of weeks. My torso is as lean and cut as most twenty year old athletes. The results came from using the machine, not free weights. I was assuming I'd see similar gains using a leg machine.

I've got nothing against free weights, I intend on get some. A machine seems to give me more control of the movement.

Great ideal on the mats, k snow. I'll look into bands and kettle bells as well.

Thanks for the input.

When by yourself the leg press machine would be a little safer than free weight squats.

If you have a rack, it takes the risk out of it.

Inclined press and decline press and weighted dips really carve the pecks.

I have good striation in my pecs. Solid shoulders, decent triceps and abs. My biceps need work. It's addicting when you see results.

Nothing wrong with leg ext & curls. Check athleanx on utube for proper form. I like the seated leg curl machine at the gym. Properly done rdl's and good mornings will really help your lower back and hamstrings but you have to push your hips back and not just bend at the waist.

Good luck.